India Centre for Migration (ICM)

About ICM

In a rapidly globalizing world characterized by mobility of people across borders, there is a need to bring a strategic dimension to the process of emigration of Indians in search of employment. Therefore, The Ministry set up India Centre for Migration (ICM-
formerly known as Indian Council of Overseas Employment) as a ‘not for profit’ society under the Societies Registration Act 1860, in July, 2008. The Centre serves as a research think-tank to the Ministry of External Affairs, Govt. of India, on all matters
relating to ‘International Migration’. The Centre undertakes empirical, analytical and policy related research, and undertakes pilot projects to document good practices.

ICM undertakes research and studies on migration of Indian workers for overseas employment and supports informed policy making in MEA. ICM also partners with individuals, institutions and governments to drive empirical, analytical and policy related research;
enhance capacities and pilot good practices in international migration and its governance.

Vision

Lead research and analysis on international migration to support informed policy making and enable strategic interventions for a coherent and harmonised response to the transnational movement of people from India.

ICM Partners with individuals, institutions and governments to drive empirical, analytical and policy related research; enhance capacities and pilot good practices in international migration and its governance.

Governing Council (2015-17)

Ex-Officio members

Secretary, MEA - Chairman

Secretary, Department of Economic Affairs or his representative

Secretary, Ministry of Small and Medium scale Enterprises or his representative

Secretary, Ministry of Labour & Employment or his representative

State Governments – Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh and Andhra Pradesh

Persons nominated by Chief Secretaries of respective State Governments for the 5th Governing Council Meeting held on 22 May 2015, as shown below:

Objectives

Main Functions

Identify labour supply gaps in overseas labour markets and the skill sets required by Indian workers to fill those gaps.

Initiate programs for skill development and skill upgradation in consultation with professional bodies and the private sector and promote employment opportunities abroad.

Initiate pre-departure orientation programs for various categories of workers.

Coordinate with other employment promotion agencies, including the state manpower development corporations, project manpower suppliers and foreign employers.

Initiate and support the study, monitoring and analysis of the trends and dynamics of international labour market, problems faced by the emigrant Indian workers in India and abroad, benchmark the best practices of other labour sending countries and recommend
policy initiatives/strategies.

Administer need based welfare support for overseas Indian workers including through institutional arrangements of a welfare fund for the purpose.

Main objectives

To serve as a ‘think tank’ to devise and execute medium to long term strategies for promoting overseas employment of Indians.

To regularly monitor, study and analyze the trends in the International Labour Markets as well as strategies of various labour sending and receiving countries.

To develop and sustain a national strategy to be globally competitive as a labour supplier.

To commission studies on the international labour markets and identify emerging overseas employment opportunities for Indian youth.

To position potential overseas Indian workers as ‘consumers’ of employment services provided by the private recruitment industry.

To project India as a supplier of skilled, trained and qualified workers

To adapt training material developed by International Labour Organization and International Organization for Migration for specific states/country and gender.

To administer need based welfare schemes for overseas Indian workers.

The Centre has a two-tier body comprising of a Governing Body and an Executive Directorate. The Governing Body is headed by Secretary (CPV & OIA), MEA , who is the Chairman. Other ExOfficio Members are the Secretaries or their representatives from Department
of Economic Affairs (Ministry of Finance), Ministry of External Affairs, Ministry of Labour and Employment, Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises and Ministry of The Ministry and Secretaries of three State Governments by rotation and four experts
as external nominees by the Government. The Chief Executive Officer functions as Member Secretary of the Governing Body. The Governing Body provides the broad policy framework for the programmes and activities of ICM.

Currently the Centre has MoUs with the European Commission (EU); European University Institute (EUI), Florence, Italy; International Labour Organisation (ILO), New Delhi; UN Women, New Delhi; Overseas Diaspora Initiative (ODI), New Delhi; Centre for Development
Studies (CDS), Thiruvananthapuram, and International Organization for Migration (IOM), New Delhi. The Centre published research papers on the India-EU migration, labour market assessment report of 6 EU countries, and a report on Remittances from the GCC countries
to India.

Initiatives at ICM

Skill Development Initiative for Potential Migrants from the North-Eastern States of India was a pilot project in eight North-Eastern states in partnership with International Organization for Migration (IOM). The project
has designed seven International Vocational Qualifications (IVQs) in hospitality sector for use in India and established a Skills Training Certification Resource Centre in Guwahati (Assam) in 2012.

Developing a Knowledgebase for Policymaking on India–EU Migration project was implemented in partnership with (EUI), Florence, to enable a constructive dialogue between the EU and India on migration covering all migration-related
aspects. Ten research papers on migration in the India-EU corridor were published, four workshops were held; an awareness campaign was undertaken on safe and legal migration in Punjab and a conference was held in Delhi, as outcomes of the project.

Empowerment of Women Migrant Workers in the Gulf ICM organised a workshop on migration of domestic workers from India to GCC in collaboration with UN Women and Government of Andhra Pradesh in November 2014, in Hyderabad.

Labour Market Assessment (LMA) of six European countries was conducted in 2011-12 by ICM in partnership with IOM to present a market overview and sectoral opportunities in the labor markets in respective countries.
The LMA also provided broad-based as well as short-term recommendations for potential improvement on the supply side of labour mobility in India.

Second Employer's Conference ICM was the knowledge partner for Ministry’s Employers Conference, organized in 2013 in Dubai

Senior Fellowship Program Under ICM’s Senior Fellowship program, so far, three Senior Fellows have submitted their research on The Future of Migration from India: Policy, Strategy & Modes of Engagement; Indian Migrants
in Myanmar: Emerging Trends & Challenges; and Gulf Migration, Social Remittances and Religion : The Changing dynamics of Kerala Christians.

Other work of ICM Since 2015, the Centre has been providing inputs and data to support Ministry’s efforts to draft the Emigration Management Bill (EMB), develop a standard employment contract, Renew Emigration Rules;
renew the functioning of the Indian Missions on Indian Community Welfare Fund (ICWF); and documenting best practices of Colombo Process countries.